


Perceptions of Negligence

by camshaft22



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-29
Updated: 2011-04-29
Packaged: 2017-10-18 20:06:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/192754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/camshaft22/pseuds/camshaft22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>  After Dr. Evan Lorne meets Major Parrish, he knows his world just changed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perceptions of Negligence

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The World Seems Not The Same](https://archiveofourown.org/works/189932) by [camshaft22](https://archiveofourown.org/users/camshaft22/pseuds/camshaft22). 



> **Warning/Notes** : Child abuse, harsh language. This is a remix of ‘The World is not the Same’. Thanks Ace for the title! Thank you so much [](http://somehowunbroken.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://somehowunbroken.livejournal.com/)**somehowunbroken** for your sharp eyes!  
>  **Disclaimer** : Stargate Atlantis belongs to MGM and a lot of other people. Please do not sue.

Doctor Evan Lorne spies him from across the Gate Room, standing with Major Sheppard when the siege is finally over. He feels a hand on his back as he turns and looks at Dr. Alison Porter.

“What-?”

“You’re openly staring. Are you alright?”

“Yeah… Just-,” Evan hesitates. “Who is that blonde?”

Alison grins at him. “I’ll find out,” she tells him, looking exhausted and pale even with the smile. It had been a damn hard night and a horrible battle.

“You don’t have to. I can do things on my own, Alison,” Evan tells her.

“Ah, yes, but will you?” Alison asks. Evan looks at her. They had grown close during the first year but he hates how she knows him. How did she figure him out like that? She was like his freaking sister.

“I don’t know. Yes,” Evan tells her with a shrug.

Alison looks at him and nods, obviously not believing him.

***

“Dr. McKay, we need more samples before we can just up and judge a planet as worthless. You might be throwing away many very important finds, just because you don’t think what I do and what everyone other than your precious Physics department does is a real science!” Evan argues, growing more and more irritated by the moment.

Rodney scoffs at him. “Now, that’s hardly true. Zelenka’s engineers are alright…”

“Good God, do you even hear yourself? We want offworld access, McKay. Either you talk to Dr. Weir or I will.”

Rodney rolls his eyes. “Fine. Just don’t blame me when you’re stuck somewhere dying because you didn’t bother to get a real degree.”

Evan glares at him as he takes his computer and leaves. His nostrils flare as he breathes, trying to calm himself before he does something really drastic. He gives the head of Biology a look of frustration as they pass. This argument was getting just stupid.

After a week of going around and around, Evan sits in the lunchroom of the city and mulls over how he can get on a proper team.  So, okay, his scores suck in shooting practice. What they don’t get is that he knows how to shoot. He just doesn’t like messing with guns other than in situations that require them. Evan really doesn’t think it should matter. Markham thought he was good. He just hates using those skills.

“Hey. You busy?” Alison asks without preamble.

“Hi, Evan, how are you today? Hey Alison, I’m doing well. How’s the experiment?” Evan tells her, giving her a look. “No. What do you need?”

Alison rolls her eyes at him. “You want on a Gate Team, right?”

“Yeah, of course I do,” Evan answers. “You know that. I spent how long in your office, talking about it?”

“Two hours, and I thought as much. Grab your tray and sit with us. We might have you on a Gate Team yet.”

“Alright. I’m not going to end up turned blue for two days again, right?”

“No. Besides, that was an accident,” Alison reminds him.

Evan pins her with a look and grabs his tray, standing up. He joins her table, seeing Mehra and some red headed Marine glaring daggers at each other. “Evan, this is Laura. Lieutenant Laura Cadman, this is Dr. Evan Lorne.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Laura. It’s nice to finally have a face to the name,” Evan tells her, offering his hand to her.

“It’s nice to finally meet you too. You’re wanting to be on a Gate Team?” she prompts, wasting no time.

“Yes. The samples I have are good, but I need more. Plus, I have no idea if what we know from our own planet applies in Pegasus or if there’s more to be learned. I’ve got the Gene so I won’t be completely worthless on a team…” Evan pitches, looking at her.

“I think I got it, Doc. I know we’re still missing a scientist. How about I bring it up to the Major?” Cadman offers as Mehra chuckles.

“I’d really appreciate it, Lieutenant. It would be instrumental in my work to be able to be on a Gate Team,” Evan tells her.

“I think you’ll be perfect, Doc, but the final decision is in the Major’s hands. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to work.” Laura picks up her tray and leaves them as Evan glances at Alison. 

“Do you think they’ll take me?”

“I’m sure they will, Lorne. Major Parrish has to have someone and it’s not like you’re McKay,” Mehra pipes in.

“She has a point, Evan,” Alison tells him.

“True,” Evan agrees as he finishes his lunch, hoping that there is a chance.

***

Evan walks to the office, knowing that it will seal his chances. He activates the chime and waits.

“Come in!” calls a voice.

Evan enters and his mouth goes slightly dry. His eyes flicker over the Major, taking in every inch. The Marine is tall, very tall, even sitting, and Evan can tell that he is well muscled. “Hi. I’m Doctor Evan Lorne. You’re Major Parrish?”

The blonde man smirks slightly, looking him up and down. “Yeah, that’s what they call me. Why do you want to be on a Gate Team?”

Evan pauses briefly, wondering how many times he has to tell people this. “Well, I have the Gene; none of the people you have do. I will need to get out there more so I can take samples and test them against what I’ve managed to bring from Earth…”

“Your scores on the field are…” Major Parrish tells him, hesitating slightly. Evan looks at him, knowing that Parrish is judging him “Lackluster, Doc. Are you really sure you want to do this? I might not be able to babysit you the entire time.”

Evan’s nostrils flare as he gets angry. He’s hardly a child! He doesn’t need babysitting! “I can handle myself, Major. Those scores aren’t indicative of what I can do.”

“Oh?”

“There was an incident on one of the planets. I had to use a weapon. Markham said I did good… but I can’t, “he says. It’s difficult to put into words. “If I’m not in trouble, I get really uncomfortable around weapons. I hate them,” Evan admits, being honest with the Major.

Parrish’s face is filled with doubt. “You’ll be around weapons constantly if you want to be on a team.”

Evan looks at him, wondering if he can make him understand. “I know that, Major.  But I have to. I want to do it.”

“Alright. You’re it,” Parrish says, slightly resigned.  “I’ll tell Colonel Sheppard that my team is complete.”

Evan smiles at him in relief. “Thank you, Major,” he tells him, turning and leaving the room.

***

“He did what?” Evan exclaims as Laura and Alison huddle around his desk.

“Parrish totally cold cocked Ronon. About knocked his head off,” Laura explains. “Stackhouse has been spreading the story around.”

“Is the Major okay?” Evan asks. “Is Ronon okay?”

“I don’t know and he’s still sleeping, from what I’ve heard. Parrish might be in a bit of trouble.”

Evan looks at Laura, wondering what that would mean for the team. He doesn’t want his chance to go offworld to be dashed once again. Plus, he likes the Major. He’s… interesting.

Laura looks at him, able to read him like a book. “Don’t worry so much. I’m sure it was just an accident… I think it surprised people more than anything.”

Evan nods. “I’d better get back to work. Thanks, Laura,” he tells her as she and Alison leave. Evan leans back in his chair, his curiosity piqued.

***

Evan grins, feeling the rocks in his hands giving off warmth not uncommon on this world. “Major! Come here and look at this! These samples are amazing!” he calls out from where he’s kneeling, packing the green colored rocks and a few crystals into his cases.

“What are we looking at here, Doc?” Parrish asks as Evan smiles, holding up a rather beautiful crystal.

“This sample will help us understand how this world came to be so messed up. It’ll give us a jump start on understanding a lot about global warming,” he explains to the Major, who is looking at him with amusement.

“Global warming, huh?” the Major says, a little disbelieving.

“You might not think it’s a big deal, but it is a serious issue,” Evan defends himself with a grin. He’s surprised when the Major grins back. Evan can’t help but think about what a beautiful smile he has.

“No, no. It’s serious. Right up there with Wraith attack,” Parrish teases him.

“Har, har,” Evan scoffs. He checks over his cases. “I’m done here.”

“Great. Let’s get this show on the road then,” Parrish tells him, reaching down to get one of Evan’s cases. He pauses and Evan goes stiff; chills go across his scalp.

“Stay down. If anything happens, run your ass to the Gate.”

Evan gives him an astonished look, but he knows better than to argue with that tone.  He waits, ready to run for it.

“Alright, you son of a bitch, show yourself,” Parrish whispers as Evan gasps, going down with a thud.

***

Evan wakes up on a table, bare-chested, as he feels someone slide a needle into his arm. “What do you think you’re doing?” he asks, feeling the restraints holding him down.

“Taking a sample,” the woman tells him, clearly not caring about his discomfort.

“Stop it right now. You have no right to take samples from me! Stop!” Evan demands as she draws the needle out and lets him bleed. She ignores him and walks away with the vial. “What the hell is this? Let me go!” he yells.  After a few minutes, Evan figures he isn’t going to get an answer, so he looks around, trying to get a better idea on why he’s here. He hears footsteps and stiffens, going still on the table.

“Hello, Doctor. We’re going to perform a few tests,” a man says to Evan as he walks into the room.

“Let me go. What have you done with Major Parrish?”

“He’s dead. We killed them all just to get to you.”

Evan’s heart stops in his chest. “Fuck you.”

“Sorry, this will go on whether you like it or not,” the scientist tells him, producing a device. Evan starts screaming as the man touches it to his skin. He lets out a sob as the scientist makes some notes. “Interesting… interesting,” he says, gently touching his head before leaving. Evan lies there, forcing himself to breathe, not letting them see him weak. He forces himself to focus on anything but what happened. He relaxes, trying to think what his father would do. Evan didn’t know… but he decides to keep fighting.

Someone dressed like a soldier enters the room and shackles his legs and then his wrists. “Up.”

“Um, I can’t move,” Evan points out.

The guard glares at him, unlocking the belts and pulling him up to his feet. “Move,” he orders, pushing him. Evan stumbles, flailing slightly as the guard grabs the back of his shirt and keeps him upright. “Yes, you can. Move your ass.”

Evan sighs and starts hobbling as he’s pushed. “You know, this goon work sucks. You could defect,” he suggests as the guard slams his gun into Evan’s back. “Ahh!”

“Move your ass,” the guard repeats fiercely.

“I’m trying to, but I’m a little hindered,” Evan points out, sounding perfectly reasonable.

“Shut up. You’ll be here with your friend until morning. You be good and we might let him live. But either way, more tests for you.”

“Oh, goody, goody, gumdrops. I can’t wait to be poked, prodded, and treated like a lab animal. Fantastic,” Evan tells him dryly as the guard pushes him forward and he falls over, landing with a ooph. “Hey! Don’t bruise the product! Your evil overlord might get pissed off!” Evan yells at the guard, flipping him off. He locks the cell door and walks away. Evan looks at the room, seeing Parrish hanging there. The guard had said something to the tune of him being alive, but the scientist had said he was dead. He wasn’t moving… Oh God, he was dead. Evan’s heart pounds as he realizes that he’s alone and Parrish… David is dead.

“You shouldn’t taunt them. I don’t want you to end up hurt, Lorne,” David’s voice breaks through the silence.

Evan jumps and turns towards him. “Oh my God. I thought they had killed you or something. You scared the shit out of me!”

“Let them think whatever. But God, I wasn’t expecting you to have such an attitude. What the hell are they doing to you?”

Evan looks at him. “They’re taking blood samples and torturing me to measure my acceptance to pain. I’m not sure why… but I think it has something to do with the Gene.”

“You’re awfully calm about torture, Doc.”

Evan gives him a very cold look. “It’s not… I can’t really let my emotions get the most of me. Not now. Later, yes. But if I lose it, they’ll hurt you… I don’t want that,” he admits, his voice shaking. “I’ll be fine.”

“Will you be fine when they start cutting things off?” David counters. “I’m not the one that needs protecting. Out of both of us, you’re more valuable. I want you to stop fighting and give me a little time. I’ll get free and get you back.”

Evan glares at him in disbelief. “Do you value yourself so little?” he asks.

“Nothing about value, Doc. I’m a dime a dozen back home. You, on the other hand, are valuable to our hostage takers. If they kill me, it’s another dead Marine. No one’s going to give a fuck. You are going to save the fucking world with your shit. Stop fucking provoking them.”

“No,” Evan tells him as his nostrils flare in anger.

“Listen to my orders, Doctor. I’m trying not to let you get killed,” David says with a large scowl.

“I’ll do what I like. I’m a civilian, remember?” Evan tells him, digging his heels in.

David looks at him and scoffs, closing his eyes. “Yeah? You’ll change your tune. I’ve seen it before.”

“Fuck you, Major.” Evan says, turning away from him. Why is he being this way?

***

Evan looks at his captors, figuring it out. These guys are Genii. How had he not seen it before? But… they seem different. They’re definitely some of Cowen’s scientists.  He breathes, forcing himself to remain calm as they test his tolerance for pain. Evan pushes himself not to feel it, to just take it so they don’t turn on David. Evan was so angry with him but David is someone that Evan likes. Evan knows he can deal with this… he will deal with this.

“Nrghh!” Evan lets out a noise as they collect spinal fluid.

“Shh. Be a good boy,” a voice tells him, stroking his side. “Be a good boy and this does not have to hurt as much.”

“Shut your mouth,” Evan hisses, trying to pull away.

The voice jerks the needle free, making Evan cry out. “Such demands. There are nicer ways to request things.”

“I’m not interested in you. Sorry, Genii Scientist Number 27,” Evan tells him dryly.

The man hesitates, obviously thrown by Evan’s statement. “But you are interested in men… interesting.”

“Oh, don’t tell me, it’s taboo in your culture , right?” Evan says, getting annoyed.

“No. It’s often best to have some sort of offspring, because of the Wraith, but I would’ve guessed your society wouldn’t be so allowing of it. Perhaps I am wrong. Get the subject back to its cage,” the man says dismissively as the soldier takes Evan away.

Evan puts that away in the growing collection of stuff he’s discovering about the Genii.

***

Evan sits in the cell, frowning to himself. “They’re late.”

“What are you talking about?” David asks.

“The soldier. He is late. The soldier… Soldier number 16 is late. He’s never late.”

“Are you that into torture, Doc? You know there’s Heightmeyer, right? You should consider talking with her. Just tossing that out there,” David points out.

Evan glares at him. “Ha,ha. Seriously, they’ve been expecting something. Things just don’t seem right. Genii Scientist number 3 was nervous.”

David looks at him, just staring. Evan shifts in his chains, pulling at them slightly. “They either found something or-“ Evan stops, hearing a noise.

“Hey. You guys want to get out of there?” Colonel Sheppard whispers loudly.

Evan looks at the door then over to David as they look at each other, both wondering.

“Sir? If that’s you, I’ll do your paperwork,” David says with relief. Evan waits, hoping like hell they aren’t in more trouble.

“It’s me, Major. And I’ll hold you to that. Take a step back. I’m going to shoot the lock. Cadman’s creating a diversion on the other side and it might be good to have you guys out and headed to the gate.”

“You let Cadman do the diversion?” David asks, his eyes wide. Evan frowns, wondering what David is so scared about. Laura’s a little nuts, but surely it isn’t that bad.

“Uh, yeah. She said she had an idea,” Colonel Sheppard tells them, shooting the lock as the door shakes and opens. He rushes in and curses softly as Evan notices some sort of realization in his expression.

“Try the guard. You dropped him, right?” David asks, seeming to read his commanding officer like a book. Evan looks at both men, trying to put his trust in them.

“Well, yeah, but- Yeah, okay,” Colonel Sheppard says, running out of the cell. Evan gets ready to move, knowing that they have no time to waste. Sheppard returns with the keys and hurries towards Evan, unlocking his wrists and ankles, before turning his attention to David. He unlocks the chains holding David and reaches out as David gets to his feet with a hiss.

“It’s nothing, sir. We need to haul ass,” David tells him.

“Alright, follow me,” Colonel Sheppard tells them. “Why is it bad that Cadman’s doing the diversion?”

“You’ll see, sir. Can we move our asses, please?” he says.

Evan stays on his heels and Colonel Sheppard pours on the speed as the compound shakes and dust rains upon them.

“What the hell? An explosion?” Colonel Sheppard yells, shocked.

“That’s the opening salvo. We need to get clear,” David tells them as they run out, gaining distance. Then all at once, the compound explodes in several large fireballs. Laura walks towards them, her smile able to light the entire Earth for three years.

“Cadman! What the hell was that?” Colonel Sheppard yells at her.

Laura pauses a second. "You said I should distract them, sir. it was either this or dancing naked, and it's a little cold out,” she says, then hastily adds. “Sir."

David chuckles. “Good to know you’re on our side, Cadman.”

“Can we please go home?” Evan pipes up.

Colonel Sheppard meets his eyes. “Definitely.”

***

Evan pulls on his shirt, finally getting out of the Infirmary. It has been three days since they were rescued and he’s been getting checked over, making sure he’s all right. Evan’s still a little shaken from the torture, but worse things have happened. He turns on his heel, going towards David’s office. Evan rings the chime, waiting for permission.

“Enter!” David calls out. Evan walks in and meets his eyes. “Doctor Lorne. I didn’t realize they released you yet. I was going to come and see you,” David tells him.

Evan frowns. Like hell he was. David is a terrible liar. “We need to talk. Now, please.”

“I’ve got a lot of paperwork to do,” David tells him, obviously trying to avoid talking about what happened.

“Colonel Sheppard told me that you were finished,” Evan points out.

David scowls. “Well, what do you want to talk about?” he asks.

Evan takes a seat, not even waiting for an invitation. “What the hell were you thinking?”

David looks surprised before his face flickers to slightly abashed. “They were using me as leverage. To get you to do whatever they wanted. So I was trying to get you pissed off. So you’d fight me instead of giving them backtalk and getting yourself killed or hurt worse. Did it work?”

“Yes. Yes, you pissed me off. But your plan was stupid,” Evan points out. “Don’t do it again. Please,” he tells him.

“You really think it was that terrible?” David asks with a frown.

“I’ve seen Kavanagh come up with better plans,” Evan tells him dryly.

“Ouch. Are we friends now?” David asks.

“Yes. We’re friends. Laura would kill us otherwise,” Evan informs him with a grin.

“We’ve got to get you over this fear of her. She ain’t that tough.”

Evan rolls his eyes. “You are so full of it. She is.”

“Alright, alright… whatever. But are we cool?” David asks.

Evan looks at him, slightly blushing. “We’re cool,” he tells him, feeling his heart flutter a little.

***

Evan is hopelessly smitten. Totally, completely, and hopelessly smitten and in love with one Major David Parrish. He frowns as Laura and Alison join him, setting their trays down.

“Evan?” Alison asks, waving her hand in front of his face.

“Stop that,” Evan says, lifting his hand up and gripping Alison’s. “Good afternoon, ladies.”

“You’re staring off into space. What’s going on?” Laura asks.

“Nothing. Go get your gossip elsewhere,” Evan tells them.

“Aww, but direct from the source is better. What’s going on?” Alison asks. “Is this about Major Parrish?”

“No,” Evan says, lying.

“Oh, it is too!” Alison says. “So, are you going to talk to him?”

Evan glares at her and Laura as they both smile like teenage girls. “No. Stop acting like two little girls and let me do this on my own.”

“You know… I was kinda already thinking about a pool party. Do you want me to go ahead?” Laura asks him, completely ignoring him.

Alison grins. “Do it, Laura. It will be fun.”

“Plus Parrish can see you without a shirt on, Evan,” Laura points out, waggling her eyebrows.

“You two exist to make me miserable.”

Alison and Laura grin at him.

***

Evan stands at the grill with Markham and Stackhouse as David arrives. Evan smiles at him, seeing David’s eyes roam over him. Surely he isn’t imagining that, right? He waits to see David look towards his eyes, and he makes eye contact when Laura splashes David’s chest. Evan swears he’s going to put itching powder in her underwear.

“Damnit, Lieutenant!” David yells at her. Evan agrees with the sentiment.

“I’m a Captain now, sir. You pinned the pins yourself,” Laura reminds him with that wicked little smirk she has.

“And I regret it every day,” David gripes at her.

“You’re so mean to me,” Laura pouts.

“You love it,” David tells her.

“I do, sir. Now, take of your shirt and get in here!” Laura tells David.

Evan moves a little closer as David takes off his shirt and his eyes widen, seeing the scars that mar his beautiful skin. Those are burns… bullet holes he understands, it’s a crazy world out there; the knife scars, same thing, but a little scarier. But cigarette burns? Evan’s fast mind takes stock of everything, burning it into his memory. His concentration is broken when David jumps into the water. What in the hell had happened to him?

***

Evan sees Laura and quickly jogs up to her. “Laura, we need to talk.”

“About?” Laura asks curiously.

“What else? David,” Evan tells her.

“I didn’t know you two were on familiar terms,” Laura mentions, raising her eyebrows.

Evan gives her a look. “I know you know about him. Give me something, Laura.”

“Actually, I don’t. No one knows anything about Parrish… he’s an enigma wrapped in a mystery, wrapped in chocolate pudding. Which he likes, by the way,” Laura said, giving Evan a little more information.

“Well, that’s something at least, but seriously…. you know something, don’t you? What about those burn scars?” Evan pushes at her.

“I know nothing. Seriously, Ev, I know nothing,” Laura protests. “There’s some scuttlebutt, but-“

“Scuttlebutt? What is that?” Evan asks.

“What? You’ve been surrounded by Marines this long and you don’t know what scuttlebutt is? I fear for you.” Laura tells him. “Ali knows what it means.”

“Alison is friends with Mehra, who, if I’m correct, speaks in mostly Marine slang with random English phrases mixed in, when she’s not cursing people out in Arabic. I am not surprised that she can communicate with you… especially since she’s consistently in your bed.”

“Evan! Let’s just announce it to the entire base, huh?” Laura chides him, punching his shoulder.

“Ow! Okay, okay, I’m sorry, Laura. I’m sorry, but I don’t know what it means. Explain?” Evan asks.

“Rumors. Rumors are… Parrish is… he doesn’t have a family. In fact, a lot of us think he was given up and raised in the barracks. He’s a Marine; he’s a perfect Marine, Evan. Life is the Corps, the whole way. But others have suggested he used to be a criminal mastermind that went in to escape prison, others say he’s the lost soul of every lost Marine made human…”

“Laura!” Evan says, sounding none too impressed. “Give me a straight answer!”

“There isn’t one. That’s what I’m telling you. But the burn marks might be from boot camp or something…”

“They’re too old for that. I come from a family of cops and investigators. Plus, I’m an anal retentive son of a bitch. It happened when he was young. The scars are too old for it to happen anytime other than that.”

“So he was a child?” Laura asks.

“He had to have been,” Evan tells her.

“Jesus fuck,” Laura says with a frown.

“My thoughts exactly,” Evan tells her grimly.

***

Evan spots David sitting in the lunch room and knows this is his chance. He grabs a tray, making sure to get chocolate pudding and then rushes over, sitting across from him.

“Hiya, Doc,” David says with a grin.

Evan slides a chocolate pudding cup over to him. “You like this, right?” he asks.

“Yup. My favorite! How did you know?” David asks.

“I asked Laura,” Evan tells him.

“Snooping, Doc? Should I start calling you Holmes?” David teases him.

“See, now that is really funny. All of my family are detectives, beat cops, or artists. I’m the oddball with the Geology degree.”

“Lucky for us,” David tells him with a grin.

Evan hesitates as he eats his food. He knows he might be crossing a line, but he has to know. “So… what’s with the cigarette burn?” Evan asks, licking his lips nervously.

David looks at him, his body language going loose and languid, and his face closing off. Evan knows for a fact that he’s crossed a line. The hair on the back of his neck rises up, knowing that Major Parrish could kill him.

“Do you want the truth or a carefully constructed lie?” David asks, his voice emotionless.

Evan blinks. “I - what? I want the truth. I’m your friend, I’m a person that… I like you. I like everything you’re about because we’re…  friends. Friends don’t lie to each other,” he tells David, treading very carefully.

David gives him a razor sharp smile. “My father did it.”

Evan’s jaw drops. “He… that fucking bastard!” he exclaims, looking at David. “Oh God, I’m sorry…”

David snorts and shrugs. “Don’t be. It’s not like it matters anyway. He drank himself to death after I graduated from Paris Island. My mother is somewhere, I think…” he says, frowning and looking thoughtful.

“You don’t know?” Evan asks, unable to comprehend this. How could they not care about him?

“I don’t care. I was their mistake. They didn’t want me. My dad beat me and my mother since before I could walk. As soon as I hit eighteen, I was out and in the recruiter’s office. The Marines are my family, Doc.”

Evan looks at him, his heart hurting. “We’re your family too, David. I want to be your family, anyway…”

David shakes his head and stands up. “It’s alright, Doc. Things happen. I’ll see you around, right?” he offers, taking his tray and leaving the pudding as he walks away.

Evan watches him go, knowing he had royally screwed this one up. Shit! He stands up, grabbing his tray and the pudding before he tosses them, going to find Laura.

***

Laura looks at Evan after he tells her what happened. “Oh geez… look, I’ll try to talk to him, see if maybe it was just a big misunderstanding.”

“I think misunderstanding is the nicest way to put it. I fucked up.”

“You were curious. Happens to us all. Just let me go see if he’s okay,” Laura says, gripping his shoulder and giving it a squeeze. “It’ll be okay.”

Evan nods and watches her take off. How could he have been so stupid? He’s seriously too distracted to do any work, but he goes to his office anyway and plays solitaire on his laptop, trying to figure out how to undo this travesty.

***

Laura walks into Evan’s office a little later and gives him an apologetic look. “He’s really, really, massively pissed. You might try personally apologizing. Maybe after a few days. We’re on down time anyway; wait just a little while. Then talk to him.”

“Thanks Laura. I owe you one.”

“Make sure Alison doesn’t bury herself in work and we’ll call it even,” Laura tells him.

“I’ll do my best. I’ll remind her that she’s not her father.”

“Thanks, Ev,” Laura tells him with a smirk as she leaves.

Evan leans back in his chair, closing his eyes and wondering why he always has to poke and prod at stuff.

***

It’s been a few weeks and Evan feels he’s waited long enough. He has to do something, has to set this right somehow. So he walks down to where David’s quarters are and waves his hand over the chime, knowing David is inside. He might not be Sheppard, but he and the city are pretty good friends. She tells him what he needs to know. Evan waits as David opens his door, looking surprised then frowning deeply. Evan knows he had to fix this.

“Doc,” David says, sounding a little hurt.

“I know I’m not your favorite person… and I know I messed up… but I wanted to apologize,” Evan explains. “I didn’t mean to pry, and it wasn’t my place to react that way. I just wanted to get to know you better and it exploded in my face.  I’m sorry, David,” he tells him earnestly. Evan just wants to be forgiven.

David nods stiffly. “It’s okay. It’s not like it matters,” he tells Evan, shrugging a bit. “I guess I’ll see you at breakfast then?”

“I’ll be there. See you then,” Evan says, giving him a smile as he leaves the room, so relieved.

***

Evan grins as David joins his table. He barely notices Alison, Laura, and Reed sitting down with them. Evan sirs there, ignoring Laura as she bitches about how Sheppard wouldn’t let her have a whole pallet of C4, just for her. He slides over a cup of pudding, watching as David picks up the treat and starts eating it.

Fin 


End file.
